Mount James Walker

1st waterfall

August 24th 2021

James Walker is at the end of a beautiful valley full of waterfalls and tarns. In August the tarns are low in water but the waterfalls remain flowing.

The trail head is from Sawmill Parking on the Smith Dorrien Spray lakes Trail. I like to come in from Hwy 40 a little longer but not as much gravel road. From behind the washrooms walk to through the gate to the logging road and turn left at about 1.5 km fork right after 4.5km reach the first tarn. Plenty of room to walk around in August. Follow trail to wide open valley .Head to the right of the west face of James Walker. There is a route up this face but we went the standard route to the end of the tarns valley and up the steep loose slope to the summit .We were fortunate to have some snow ( August ) to work with through the scree. Summit views make this hard slog worth while. I would also recommend just hiking into the valley to see tarns and waterfalls.

Heading from Sawmill down the logging road
First view of a mountain
James Walker in distant
James Walker 1st tarn
3rd waterfall
2cdn warefall
Hike under shale fall
Waterfall after shale
Route for James Walker goes to the right
Nice open plateau
heading for the end of the valley then turn left
Another of the upper tarns
Upper Tarn
Route goes left
Looking back at the upper tarn valley
The summit is up there dead center
Richard is ahead setting a cracking pace
Looking back down
Richard on the summit
Mt Inflexible and Kent Ridge behind
Opal Range with HWy40 below
Nice day to be so high up
Looking north
Spoon Needle and Fortress Ski Area north
West facing shot
South views

https://willski.ca/trailheads/JamesWalker.gpx

https://willski.ca/kml/JamesWalker.kml